Sometimes things happen that are just not fair. People don’t get treated the same way, or someone takes something that doesn’t belong to them. This is called injustice. It can make people feel upset or left out. Writers and speakers often use strong words to describe unfair situations. One way they do this is with metaphors. A metaphor compares one thing to another without using the words “like” or “as.” It helps us understand feelings better by painting a picture in our minds.
In this article, you’ll learn simple metaphors that describe injustice. These metaphors show how unfairness feels in ways we can see or imagine. They can help you talk about problems and understand how others feel. Learning these can also make your writing more powerful and clear. Let’s take a look at some useful and easy-to-understand metaphors for injustice.
Metaphors for Injustice
1. Injustice is a broken scale
Meaning: Things are not balanced or fair.
Sample Sentences: The rules felt like a broken scale. / The game felt unfair, like a broken scale tipping to one side.
Other Way to Say: The balance is off / The scale is unfair
2. Injustice is a locked door
Meaning: Some people are not given a chance.
Sample Sentences: It felt like a locked door when I wasn’t allowed to play. / A locked door kept her out of the group.
Other Way to Say: Shut out / Closed chance
3. Injustice is a loud silence
Meaning: When unfair things happen and no one speaks up.
Sample Sentences: Everyone saw it, but said nothing. It was a loud silence. / The silence after he was blamed was too loud.
Other Way to Say: No one stood up / Quiet but wrong
4. Injustice is a broken promise
Meaning: Someone was told something fair, but it didn’t happen.
Sample Sentences: She promised to share but didn’t, like a broken promise. / It felt like a broken promise when I was skipped.
Other Way to Say: Let down / Promise not kept
5. Injustice is a bent rule
Meaning: Rules are changed for some, not all.
Sample Sentences: He bent the rule only for his friends. / A bent rule made the game unfair.
Other Way to Say: Changed rule / Not the same rule for all
6. Injustice is a tilted game
Meaning: The game is made unfair from the start.
Sample Sentences: We couldn’t win. The game was tilted. / It’s hard to play when the game is tilted.
Other Way to Say: Not a fair game / Unfair setup
7. Injustice is a shadow
Meaning: It hides fairness and truth.
Sample Sentences: The truth was covered by a shadow. / Injustice is the shadow over good choices.
Other Way to Say: Covered up / Darkness over truth
8. Injustice is a cracked mirror
Meaning: It doesn’t show the real story.
Sample Sentences: The cracked mirror showed only one side. / A cracked mirror made people think the wrong thing.
Other Way to Say: Not the whole picture / Wrong view
9. Injustice is a locked box
Meaning: It keeps fairness hidden.
Sample Sentences: Fairness felt trapped in a locked box. / We tried to open the box, but it stayed locked.
Other Way to Say: Truth hidden / Can’t get to what’s right
10. Injustice is a one-way street
Meaning: Only one side gets the good things.
Sample Sentences: It was like a one-way street, only their voices mattered. / I wasn’t heard; it was a one-way street.
Other Way to Say: Only one side / Unfair path
11. Injustice is a closed window
Meaning: No way to speak or be seen.
Sample Sentences: I knocked, but no one listened. It was a closed window. / Her ideas stayed behind a closed window.
Other Way to Say: No voice / Blocked chance
12. Injustice is a wall
Meaning: It keeps people apart or stops them.
Sample Sentences: A wall stood between them and fairness. / I hit a wall trying to be heard.
Other Way to Say: Can’t get through / Blocked by unfair rules
13. Injustice is a storm
Meaning: It causes harm and confusion.
Sample Sentences: The unfair rule was like a storm in our classroom. / His unfair words hit like a storm.
Other Way to Say: A big mess / A hard time
14. Injustice is a missing piece
Meaning: Something important is left out.
Sample Sentences: The puzzle of fairness had a missing piece. / Her side of the story was the missing piece.
Other Way to Say: Not complete / Left out
15. Injustice is a frozen voice
Meaning: Someone can’t speak up.
Sample Sentences: My voice froze when no one cared what I said. / A frozen voice means no one is listening.
Other Way to Say: Quiet from fear / Not able to speak
16. Injustice is a crooked line
Meaning: Things are not straight or fair.
Sample Sentences: The rules made a crooked line. / It felt like we were walking on a crooked line.
Other Way to Say: Not fair / Off track
17. Injustice is a broken bridge
Meaning: People can’t connect or work together.
Sample Sentences: A broken bridge kept us apart. / No one helped because the bridge was broken.
Other Way to Say: Cut off / Not joined
18. Injustice is an empty seat
Meaning: Someone was left out.
Sample Sentences: The empty seat at the table showed something was wrong. / I saw the empty seat and knew it was unfair.
Other Way to Say: Not included / Left alone
19. Injustice is a fake smile
Meaning: Things look fine, but they aren’t.
Sample Sentences: The fake smile hid the unfairness. / She smiled, but I saw the fake smile of injustice.
Other Way to Say: Hiding truth / Not real
20. Injustice is a locked gate
Meaning: It keeps people from joining in.
Sample Sentences: The locked gate stopped her from joining the game. / It felt like I was stuck behind a locked gate.
Other Way to Say: Not welcome / Kept out
21. Injustice is a broken clock
Meaning: It doesn’t run right or fair.
Sample Sentences: The broken clock made us late for fairness. / A broken clock can’t show the right time, just like unfair rules.
Other Way to Say: Not working / Time is off
22. Injustice is a puppet show
Meaning: Someone else is pulling all the strings.
Sample Sentences: I felt like a puppet, not free to choose. / Injustice is a puppet show with unfair control.
Other Way to Say: No control / Not free
23. Injustice is a closed book
Meaning: The real story is hidden.
Sample Sentences: His story was never told, it stayed a closed book. / A closed book hides the truth of what happened.
Other Way to Say: Not shared / Kept secret
24. Injustice is a thorn
Meaning: It causes pain in small ways.
Sample Sentences: That unfair rule was a thorn in my side. / Like a thorn, it kept poking at me.
Other Way to Say: A small hurt / A sharp unfairness
25. Injustice is a fog
Meaning: It makes things unclear and confusing.
Sample Sentences: I couldn’t see the truth, it was covered in fog. / Injustice is a fog that hides right and wrong.
Other Way to Say: Can’t see clearly / All mixed up
26. Injustice is a maze
Meaning: It’s hard to find the right way.
Sample Sentences: Trying to fix it felt like walking in a maze. / We got lost in the maze of unfair rules.
Other Way to Say: Lost in it / Hard to fix
27. Injustice is a short ladder
Meaning: Some people can’t reach the same place.
Sample Sentences: My ladder was too short to join the others. / Injustice gives some a short ladder to climb.
Other Way to Say: Can’t reach / Left behind
28. Injustice is a cracked bell
Meaning: The message is not clear or strong.
Sample Sentences: The cracked bell couldn’t ring out the truth. / We needed help, but the bell was cracked.
Other Way to Say: Weak signal / Not heard
29. Injustice is an unfair race
Meaning: Some start ahead, others behind.
Sample Sentences: The race wasn’t fair. Some started far ahead. / It felt like an unfair race I couldn’t win.
Other Way to Say: Not the same chance / Unfair start
30. Injustice is a blindfold
Meaning: It hides the truth or fairness.
Sample Sentences: They judged while wearing a blindfold. / The truth was missed because of a blindfold.
Other Way to Say: Not seeing right / Truth is blocked
31. Injustice is a weak bridge
Meaning: It breaks when people need it.
Sample Sentences: The weak bridge couldn’t hold us together. / When it broke, we knew it wasn’t strong or fair.
Other Way to Say: Can’t hold / Not safe
32. Injustice is a jammed lock
Meaning: Even the right key won’t help.
Sample Sentences: I tried to fix things, but the lock was jammed. / Justice didn’t come, the lock was stuck.
Other Way to Say: Can’t open / Not working
33. Injustice is a missing map
Meaning: People don’t know where to go.
Sample Sentences: We needed help, but the map was missing. / Without a map, we stayed lost in unfair rules.
Other Way to Say: No guide / No way forward
34. Injustice is a fake trophy
Meaning: It looks like a reward but it’s not real.
Sample Sentences: The prize felt like a fake trophy, it wasn’t fair. / She won, but the trophy was fake.
Other Way to Say: Not real win / Just for show
35. Injustice is a closed curtain
Meaning: It hides what’s really going on.
Sample Sentences: The curtain closed before we saw the truth. / What happened stayed hidden behind a closed curtain.
Other Way to Say: Hidden truth / Not open
36. Injustice is a slippery floor
Meaning: It’s easy to fall and hard to stand tall.
Sample Sentences: Trying to be treated fair felt like standing on a slippery floor. / I kept falling back, it was too slippery.
Other Way to Say: Hard to stay up / Easy to slip
37. Injustice is a tangled rope
Meaning: It’s hard to fix or pull apart.
Sample Sentences: The rules were like a tangled rope, too mixed up to fix. / We tried, but the rope was full of knots.
Other Way to Say: All tied up / Hard to undo
38. Injustice is an uneven table
Meaning: One side always leans more.
Sample Sentences: We sat at an uneven table, our side kept tipping. / The rules leaned like an uneven table.
Other Way to Say: Off balance / Not steady
39. Injustice is a broken compass
Meaning: It doesn’t point to what’s right.
Sample Sentences: I followed the rule, but it was a broken compass. / We didn’t find fairness, it led the wrong way.
Other Way to Say: No direction / Points the wrong way
40. Injustice is a silent bell
Meaning: A warning that no one hears.
Sample Sentences: The bell didn’t ring when things went wrong. / Injustice is a silent bell, no one hears the cry for help.
Other Way to Say: No sound / No alert
41. Injustice is a missing chair
Meaning: Not everyone gets a seat.
Sample Sentences: There was no chair for me, it wasn’t fair. / A missing chair means someone is left out.
Other Way to Say: No spot / Left standing
42. Injustice is a locked locker
Meaning: What’s needed is kept away.
Sample Sentences: My ideas stayed locked up. / I had the answer, but the locker was locked.
Other Way to Say: Hidden away / Can’t get to it
43. Injustice is a dull pencil
Meaning: It doesn’t let you do your best.
Sample Sentences: I couldn’t write my part, it was like using a dull pencil. / Fairness is hard to show with a dull pencil.
Other Way to Say: Not sharp / Can’t work well
44. Injustice is a dropped baton
Meaning: It breaks the team or goal.
Sample Sentences: We were running together until someone dropped the baton. / The dropped baton made us lose trust.
Other Way to Say: Lost teamwork / Failed handoff
45. Injustice is a blown whistle
Meaning: It stops the game for the wrong reason.
Sample Sentences: The whistle blew, but it wasn’t fair. / A blown whistle ended the fun without cause.
Other Way to Say: Wrong call / Not right
46. Injustice is a foggy mirror
Meaning: You can’t see yourself clearly.
Sample Sentences: I looked but couldn’t see myself, it was a foggy mirror. / Injustice makes your true self hard to see.
Other Way to Say: Blurry truth / Not clear
47. Injustice is a one-sided coin
Meaning: Only one side ever wins.
Sample Sentences: Every toss landed the same, it was a one-sided coin. / It’s hard to win with a one-sided coin.
Other Way to Say: Only their side / Unfair chance
48. Injustice is a dry well
Meaning: It promises help but gives nothing.
Sample Sentences: We hoped for fairness, but it was a dry well. / A dry well doesn’t help anyone.
Other Way to Say: No support / Empty promise
49. Injustice is a cold seat
Meaning: No one wants to sit with you.
Sample Sentences: I got the cold seat again, no one cared. / The cold seat is where unfairness sits.
Other Way to Say: Left alone / Not welcome
50. Injustice is a broken rulebook
Meaning: The rules don’t make sense.
Sample Sentences: We looked for the rules, but the rulebook was broken. / How can we play fair with a broken rulebook?
Other Way to Say: Confusing rules / Can’t trust it
51. Injustice is a skipped page
Meaning: Someone’s part is left out.
Sample Sentences: My page was skipped in the story. / Skipping pages means skipping people.
Other Way to Say: Left out / Ignored
52. Injustice is a bent ladder
Meaning: You can’t climb up fairly.
Sample Sentences: I tried to climb, but the ladder was bent. / A bent ladder makes it harder to rise.
Other Way to Say: Broken chance / Not steady
53. Injustice is a fake light
Meaning: It looks like hope but isn’t real.
Sample Sentences: I followed the light, but it was fake. / A fake light tricks people into thinking it’s fair.
Other Way to Say: False hope / Pretend fairness
54. Injustice is a jammed door
Meaning: You can’t move forward.
Sample Sentences: We tried to go through, but the door was jammed. / Injustice keeps the door stuck.
Other Way to Say: No way in / Blocked way
55. Injustice is a lost voice
Meaning: No one hears your story.
Sample Sentences: My voice was lost in the noise. / A lost voice means no one listens.
Other Way to Say: Silenced / Not heard
Multiple Choice Quiz: Metaphors for Injustice
1. What does it mean when someone says, “Injustice is a broken scale”?
A) The scale needs batteries
B) Things are not fair or balanced
C) The weight is too heavy
2. “Injustice is a locked door” most likely means:
A) Someone forgot their keys
B) No one can come inside
C) Someone is not given a fair chance
3. If someone says, “Injustice is a one-sided coin,” what do they mean?
A) The coin has no tails
B) Only one person always wins
C) The coin is too small
4. What does “Injustice is a missing chair” suggest?
A) Someone didn’t get a place to sit
B) The chair broke in half
C) There were too many chairs
5. “Injustice is a fog” means:
A) You need an umbrella
B) Things are hard to see or understand
C) It’s raining outside
6. If you hear, “Injustice is a closed curtain,” what is being said?
A) A play is starting
B) Something unfair is being hidden
C) The window is open
7. What does “Injustice is a bent ladder” most likely mean?
A) The ladder is made of rubber
B) It’s hard to climb up or succeed fairly
C) You can jump over it
8. If someone says, “Injustice is a dry well,” what are they trying to show?
A) There is no water to drink
B) Something that should help gives nothing
C) It’s time to go swimming
9. What does “Injustice is a cracked mirror” mean?
A) You see many reflections
B) It doesn’t show the truth clearly
C) You need to clean it
10. “Injustice is a jammed lock” suggests:
A) The key is missing
B) Something fair is stuck and won’t open
C) You need to call a locksmith
11. If someone says, “Injustice is a fake trophy,” what do they mean?
A) The trophy is made of chocolate
B) The prize is unfair or not real
C) It’s too heavy to lift
12. What does “Injustice is a broken compass” mean?
A) You need to find north
B) You can’t find what’s right or fair
C) You’re stuck in the woods
Answer Key
- B – Things are not fair or balanced
- C – Someone is not given a fair chance
- B – Only one person always wins
- A – Someone didn’t get a place to sit
- B – Things are hard to see or understand
- B – Something unfair is being hidden
- B – It’s hard to climb up or succeed fairly
- B – Something that should help gives nothing
- B – It doesn’t show the truth clearly
- B – Something fair is stuck and won’t open
- B – The prize is unfair or not real
- B – You can’t find what’s right or fair
Scoring Guide
- 12 Correct Answers: Metaphor Master!
You really understand what these unfair pictures mean. - 8–11 Correct Answers: Well on your way to understanding injustice metaphors.
Great effort! Just a little more practice. - 4–7 Correct Answers: Room for improvement, but you’re getting there!
Keep learning and reviewing these comparisons. - 0–3 Correct Answers: Let’s explore injustice metaphors together.
No worries, understanding takes time. Try again soon.
Conclusion
Injustice happens when things are not fair. It can make people feel left out or ignored. Metaphors help us understand these feelings better. They show unfairness in ways we can picture, like a locked door or a broken scale.
By learning these metaphors, you can explain unfair things more clearly. They help you speak up and share how you feel. Keep using these ideas in your writing and talking. It’s a smart way to show what fairness should look like.
